One of the nice things about drawing and painting is that I can dream whatever I want and put it down on canvas or paper! My horse, Kate, and I have been traveling the path to upper level dressage since we met four and a half years ago. She was just a wide-eyed three year old, and I was an aging adult amateur dressage rider with a big dream. It’s a long, slow process (hence the sense of urgency from my 50-something year old brain!). Basically, you hope to move up a level a year and there are nine levels. Kate and I are working on stuff in the 5th and 6th levels, so we’re right on track.
In this drawing she’s showing the collection of a horse in at least the seventh level, which is well into the international standard of competition. So I dream it. All of the time. And I draw it so I can see what it will look like when we get there.
I can’t describe how much I love this horse. She loves to learn and she loves to try. She’s a golden retriever in a horse suit. It’s all about the “Good Girl!” and the pat and a cookie. Every day I reward myself for a day of work by tacking her up and taking a few more steps on that journey. And when I put her away for the night she always licks my hand and gives me a great big, “I love you too, Mom.”
PS Too bad I don’t even know what day it is! The drawing should be labeled 3-2-18!